'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Match details
Fixture: (5) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs (12) Pablo Carreno Busta
Date: 6 June 2021
Tournament: Roland Garros 2021
Round: Fourth round (Round of 16)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Red Clay
Prize Money: €17,171,108
Match timing: Not before 2 pm local time, 12 pm GMT, 8 am EST, 5.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - NBC Sports / Tennis Channel | UK - ITV | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Pablo Carreno Busta preview
In the modern game, we associate a certain degree of flair and volatility with players who have single-handed backhands. The brilliance of the one-armed swing is usually indicative of a mercurial game.
Besides literally letting loose on the shot, the practitioners of the single-hander often do the same figuratively too; they find it difficult to replicate the stability of those who use two-handed backhands. Barring an outlier 20-time Grand Slam champion, consistency hasn't been the strongest su of players with single-handers in the 21st century.
But Stefanos Tsitsipas has been a different beast in 2021.
The 22-year-old has put together a series of fine outings in the first five months of the year, and currently sits atop the ATP race rankings. He won his first Masters title less than two months ago on the claycourts of Monte Carlo, and just before arriving in Paris he also won the tournament at Lyon.
However, it is the frequency with which Tsitsipas has been reaching the latter rounds of tournaments that has been the most impressive. In addition to his two titles this year, the Greek has also made the semis of the Australian Open and Rotterdam, and the finals of Acapulco and Barcelona.
The tournament favorite from the bottom half hasn't disappointed this week either. Tsitsipas comfortably maneuvered past his first two rounds at Roland Garros 2021 in straight sets - beating Jeremy Chardy in the first round and Pedro Martinez in the second. However, the Round of 32 presented a much bigger obstacle.
An inspired John Isner pushed the 22-year-old's boundaries; the American led by a set and later threatened to go up two sets to one. But Tsitsipas weathered the storm, and after clinching the third set in a tiebreak, he ran away with the fourth.
His opponent in the Round of 16 is a man who has made the quarterfinals at Paris twice in his career.
Pablo Carreno Busta's best result at a Grand Slam has come at the US Open, where he has made two semifinals - in 2017 and 2020. But few would argue against him being just as efficient on the dirt.
Carreno Busta has won two claycourt titles and boasts of a career win-rate of 56% on the surface, which is very similar to his record of three titles and 55.6% win-rate on hardcourt.
The Spaniard's latest title also came on clay - at the Marbella event earlier this year. Unfortunately, however, he couldn't build on that triumph. In the four tournaments he has completed since, Carreno Busta's best result has been at Barcelona - where he was comprehensively beaten by Rafael Nadal in the semifinals.
The 29-year-old lost to Casper Ruud at Monte Carlo and Federico Delbonis at Madrid, and gave a walkover to Fabio Fognini at Rome. And with so few expectations on his shoulders, Carreno Busta has been flying under the radar in Paris this week.
Though he did drop a set in the Round of 64 against Enzo Couacaud, the 12th seed has won all three of his matches rather comfortably. His other two scalps have been Norbert Gombos in the first round and Steve Johnson in the third.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Pablo Carreno Busta head-to-head
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Pablo Carreno Busta have squared off against each other twice on the tour, with the Greek leading the head-to-head 2-0.
Their first meeting was on clay, at Barcelona 2018, and their latest was on the hardcourts of Dubai in 2020. Tsitsipas didn't drop a set in either of the encounters, and incidentally was the runner-up at both events - to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic respectively.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Pablo Carreno Busta prediction
A tournament forecast was generated based on the Elo ratings provided by Tennis Abstract on 31 May, as per which Stefanos Tsitsipas and Pablo Carreno Busta were the top two favorites from the fourth quarter to make the final four.
Tsitsipas entered the tournament at 2047 Elo, and his tournament-adjusted Elo is 2096. Carreno Busta, meanwhile, entered at 1884 Elo, and his tournament-adjusted Elo is 1913.
The difference in their scores equates to a win probability of 74.14% for Tsitsipas.
Given the nature of the matchup, the Spaniard might find it difficult to put a dent in Tsitsipas' game. The Greek is also battle-hardened after his third-round encounter, and might come out flying on Sunday.
Tsitsipas is expected to win around 66% of his service points, while Carreno Busta is expected to win around 61% of his.
Prediction: Stefanos Tsitsipas to win in straight sets.
Please help Sportskeeda improve its tennis coverage by taking this 30-second survey.
